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Built Environment, Physical Activity, and Obesity: Findings from the International Physical Activity and Environment
James F Sallis1,2, Ester Cerin2,3, Jacqueline Kerr1
1Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, USA; email: jsallis@ucsd.edu, jkerr@grantdoctor.org.
Annual Review of Public Health
|April 3, 2020
Summary
Creating supportive built environments for physical activity is crucial for global health. The International Physical Activity and Environment Network (IPEN) study found neighborhood design strongly influences activity levels and weight status.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Environmental Science
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Noncommunicable diseases are a global health challenge.
- The World Health Organization recommends physical activity-supportive built environments.
- International evidence on built environment impacts is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide international evidence on built environments and physical activity.
- To examine associations with weight status.
- To identify patterns across multiple studies.
Main Methods:
- Reanalyzed data from eight primary papers from the IPEN Adult Study.
- Included over 14,000 participants across 12 countries.
- Assessed neighborhood environment attributes objectively and by self-report.
Main Results:
- Neighborhood environment attributes were strongly related to physical activity outcomes.
- Built environments were meaningfully related to overweight and obesity.
- Multivariable indexes of built environment variables showed stronger associations than single variables.
Conclusions:
- Designing activity-supportive built environments should be an international health priority.
- Evidence supports global initiatives for physical activity and noncommunicable disease control.
- Findings align with sustainable development goals.
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